How to Apply to Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder: Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (BS-Only from Fall 2026) and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (BA) in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Requirements for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

At the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), biology programs sit in the Division of Natural Sciences of the College of Arts and Sciences. The website places biology-related undergraduate majors in several departments: Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB), Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EBIO) and Integrative Physiology (IPHY); Biochemistry is a major in a separate department. This article covers MCDB and EBIO and mentions biochemistry in a line; integrative physiology, neuroscience, public health, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and similar programs are outside it, so see the website. Below is what CU Boulder’s website says, for domestic students, international students (with a separate section for applicants from China) and transfer students. The university catalog (catalog.colorado.edu) is hosted by a third-party vendor and was not read, so check it for each degree’s full required courses, prerequisite details and the AP/IB credit charts.

1. The degrees and programs

• Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB): the department says it concentrates on how living systems operate at the cellular and molecular levels, emphasizing cellular and genetic regulation including embryonic development, preparing students for careers in health and medicine, biomedical and agricultural research, biotechnology and more. The degree requires coursework in chemistry, biochemistry, math, physics (optional but recommended) and cellular and molecular biology. From fall 2026 MCDB is awarded only as a Bachelor of Science (BS), with one additional “MCDB Scientific Reasoning” course and with Organic Chemistry 1 (lecture and lab) and Biochemistry moved from ancillary to major requirements, so they count in the major GPA. Students who declared MCDB in spring 2026 or earlier may complete the BA (which must be finished by May 2030) or the BS; students declaring in fall 2026 or later complete the BS.
• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EBIO): the College says EBIO remains a Bachelor of Arts (BA) only, with no change in name or requirements. The biology advising office’s common four-year plan lists two semesters of introductory biology with lab, statistics, Ecology or Genetics (EBIO 2040 or 2070), Evolution (EBIO 3080) or an upper-division lab elective, EBIO ancillary courses and 4000-level EBIO courses.
• Minors: MCDB and EBIO each have a minor; see the catalog pages on the website for requirements.
• Related major: Biochemistry also becomes BS-only from fall 2026 with unchanged requirements and is in a separate department.
• Accreditation: the pages read do not mention professional accreditation of the biology degrees; not published.
• Outcomes: the MCDB page says the degree prepares students for careers in health and medicine, biomedical and agricultural research, biotechnology and more; no statistics were read.

2. How admission works: apply to Arts and Sciences, naming an intended major

• Which college: the biology majors are in the College of Arts and Sciences. The BS FAQ says choosing a BA or BS does not affect admission; if you are strongly considering an Arts and Sciences major, it recommends selecting that major when you apply, and says changing majors within Arts and Sciences is easy. If you are unsure, you can select Arts and Sciences Open Option, or the Program in Exploratory Studies to explore across colleges.
• Review and major: the admission page says applicants are considered relative to a prediction of academic success in their intended major; whether MCDB or EBIO has its own admission line is not published on the pages read.
• After enrolling: Biology Advising serves MCDB, EBIO and integrative physiology students, with appointments, drop-in advising and help to declare a major or minor; admitted students should schedule an appointment with the Biology Advisors to plan their curriculum. The timing and conditions for declaring a major are not on the pages read.
• Internal transfer: changing majors within Arts and Sciences is described as easy (BS FAQ), and the FAQ says adding the BS degrees will not have higher requirements or prerequisite courses.

3. Preparation

• High school courses: students are encouraged to meet the Higher Education Admission Recommendations (HEAR), whose detail is in the catalog (not read); the MCDB and EBIO pages read list no additional hard high school requirement; not published.
• MCDB first steps (the advising office’s common four-year plan; the file does not say whether it is the BA or BS version, but it lists the “MCDB Scientific Reasoning” course that the BS FAQ describes as an additional BS requirement): fall of the first year lists MCDB 1020, introductory biology (MCDB 1150 or EBIO 1210), a 2-credit lab, and General Chemistry 1 with lab (CHEM 1113/1114); spring lists Genetics (MCDB 2150) and General Chemistry 2 with lab (CHEM 1133/1134). Later terms list Molecular Biology (MCDB 3135), Cellular Biology (MCDB 3145) with lab (MCDB 3140), Organic Chemistry 1 with lab (CHEM 3311/3321), Biochemistry (BCHM 4611), Developmental Biology (MCDB 4650), statistics or calculus, and an MCDB capstone. A note says students who have not had chemistry or who struggled with it should take Introduction to Chemistry (CHEM 1021) first, after the chemistry placement exam.
• EBIO first steps (same source): the first year lists introductory biology with lab (two semesters) and statistics (EBIO 1010 preferred); from the second year, Ecology or Genetics (EBIO 2040 or 2070) and EBIO ancillary courses; later, Evolution (EBIO 3080) or an upper-division lab elective and 4000-level EBIO courses.
• AP, IB and A-Level credit: the admission page says CU Boulder accepts credit from AP/IB exams, A-Level exams, college courses taken while in high school and limited CLEP credit; in general credit is granted for approved IB exams at the higher level with a score of 4 or better, and admitted students with an IB Diploma are granted 24 semester hours, applied toward degree requirements only if approved by the college or school (some may not apply to a given degree). The AP and IB charts are in the catalog, which was not read, so the specific biology, chemistry and calculus equivalents are not published on the pages read; check the website.
• Undergraduate research: the MCDB department lists research in faculty labs, independent study, departmental honors, internships, STEM Routes, the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and course-based undergraduate research experiences. The EBIO undergraduate page lists research, internships, an honors program and study abroad among its sections, which were not read item by item.
• Honors (MCDB): students must be in the College of Arts and Sciences with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 (waivable for exceptional research), complete at least two semesters of original laboratory research, generate original data to support an honors thesis, submit the MCDB Honors Research Approval form and complete the Arts and Sciences Honors thesis registration the semester before graduating, then write a thesis and give an oral defense (a public seminar of about 30 minutes followed by private questions from the committee). The MCDB committee recommends and the Arts and Sciences Honors Council designates the level, with minimum GPAs of 3.3 for cum laude, 3.5 for magna cum laude and 3.8 for summa cum laude. EBIO also has an honors program; its requirements were not read.
• Competitions: how biology competitions are viewed in admissions is not on the pages read; not published.

4. Plans and materials (fall 2027 entry)

• Deadlines: early action for fall and summer November 15, decision by February 1; regular decision January 15, decision by April 1; spring entry October 1. International applicants have the same three deadlines. One page says the 2027 application is open; others print no year, so confirm.
• How to apply and fee: through the Common App; the fee is USD 65 for domestic and USD 70 for international applicants, with fee waivers available.
• Essays: a personal essay (250 to 650 words, one of the seven Common App prompts) and one required short answer (up to 250 words: “What do you hope to study, and why, at CU Boulder?”, or if undecided, your studies, activities, jobs and goals so far), which must differ from the Common App essay.
• Recommendation: one letter, which the site says many students ask a teacher or school counselor to write; the pages do not say it must come from a science teacher.
• Transcripts: unofficial high school transcripts are accepted at first; official ones are required on enrollment.
• Testing: SAT/ACT is not required; you may self-report scores if you want them considered, indicating this on the Common App.
• How applications are reviewed: the site describes holistic review in which the primary factors are classroom performance in core academic courses, rigor of course selection relative to opportunities at your school, and GPA, recalculated on a weighted 4-point scale with weight for honors, AP, IB and dual enrollment courses. It adds that applicants are considered relative to a prediction of academic success in the intended major. Portfolios and audio/video submissions are not used, except for the College of Music.
• High school course recommendations: students are strongly encouraged (not required) to meet the Higher Education Admission Recommendations (HEAR); students may be admitted without them but may need extra courses to meet major graduation requirements. The HEAR subject list is in the university catalog, which was not read; not published on the pages read. The site also mentions a recommended minimum of 17 courses and says courses beyond that, and those designated advanced, honors, AP, IB or dual enrollment, are considered.
• Admitted student data: the site prints the middle 50% of 2026 admitted first-years: College of Arts and Sciences weighted high school GPA 3.62 to 4.20; for those who submitted scores, SAT 1270 to 1430 and ACT 29 to 34. It notes SAT/ACT is not required for the 2027 application.

5. Domestic students

• Cost (estimate): the site gives estimated 2026-27 annual costs (fall and spring) including tuition and fees (base rate), housing, food, books and supplies: USD 35,456 for Colorado residents, USD 66,500 for nonresidents and USD 68,664 for international students; costs vary with residency, credit hours, college or program and on- or off-campus living. It also describes a Tuition Guarantee (four years of fixed tuition). The itemized figures were not read; see the estimated cost and bursar pages.
• Residents and nonresidents: the site separates Colorado resident and nonresident costs; the conditions for residency are not on the pages read. Members of American Indian tribes with historical ties to Colorado may qualify for in-state tuition even if not residents.
• Aid and scholarships: the FAFSA opens October 1 for 2027-28; after you apply for admission you can use the CU Boulder Scholarship Application, which opens December 1. The site says the College of Arts and Sciences awards more than 200 scholarships a year to incoming and continuing students, mostly by the Dean’s Office and departments on merit, need or both, with a limited number for incoming first-years.
• Department scholarships: the MCDB department has its own scholarships page, which was not read item by item; the College awards more than 200 scholarships a year, mostly through the Dean’s Office and departments, with limited places for incoming first-years. Specific awards, amounts and whether they are open to international students are not on the pages read.
• Resident preference or guarantee: not on the pages read; not published.

6. International students

• Applying and deadlines: first-year international applicants have the same deadlines as domestic applicants (section 4); the fee is USD 70. For applicants residing in Iran or holding Iranian citizenship, the site says federal regulations may affect eligibility and to contact International Admissions first.
• English test scores (completed within two calendar years of your CU Boulder start date; email reports to intladm@colorado.edu): TOEFL iBT taken before January 2026, 80; taken after January 2026, 4.0 (the page labels this row “iBT26 (post January 2026)”); IELTS 6.5; Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 180; PTE Academic 58; Duolingo 115; IB SL English A 6 or HL English A 5; GCSE/GCE English B; AP English 4; SAT EBRW 580; ACT English 23; WASSCE/WAEC English B3.
• Other ways to meet it: at least two years of full-time study at a secondary school in a listed qualifying country, or at least 24 transferable credits at a university in a qualifying country, completed within two calendar years of the start date; a medium-of-instruction letter alone is not enough. The qualifying-country list on the page (such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States) does not include China.
• If you apply without English scores: you may apply; if admitted, you must submit English proficiency evidence or enroll in the Pathway to CU Program before confirming (conditional admission). To be reviewed for first-year scholarships, submit proof of English proficiency with your application and no later than the regular decision deadline (January 15). The I-20 cannot be issued until the English requirement is confirmed.
• Transcripts: submit senior secondary school transcripts, mark sheets and exam results; unofficial records are accepted for the initial review; records not in English need literal, certified English translations; a final official transcript is required on enrollment, emailed by your counselor or registrar from an official school address to transcripts@colorado.edu. For any college attended, submit all transcripts regardless of length of attendance.
• Aid: the site says CU Boulder cannot provide federal financial aid to international students; international students are eligible for a few merit-based CU Boulder scholarships, and there are outside funding sources; the College Board International Student Financial Aid Application is not accepted.
• Proof of funds: if you are academically eligible and need an I-20 or DS-2019, you must submit evidence of full financial support for all first-year expenses before admission is finalized. The amount is not on the pages read; not published there.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages read do not say how Gaokao results are used; this is not published, so ask International Admissions.
• Country-specific requirements: the first-year page mentions “Requirements by Country”, but that link could not be opened when read; not published on the pages read, so check the international pages on the website for any China-specific requirements.
• Transcripts: see the previous section: non-English records need literal, certified English translations.
• English: China is not on the page’s list of qualifying countries, so English proficiency is shown through a test score or other listed route; SAT/ACT is not required.
• Any other China-specific guidance is not published on the pages read; ask International Admissions.

8. Transfer students

• Who is a transfer applicant: students who have attended another college or university since earning a high school diploma or GED and intend to complete a bachelor’s degree at CU Boulder. Students who have not attempted college-level courses are first-year applicants.
• Deadlines: spring entry October 1; summer entry March 15; fall early notification March 15; fall final deadline June 1. International transfer applicants have the same dates. Applications by March 15 are mostly decided on a rolling basis in March and April, with a final decision or request for information by the end of May. The site says the 2027 transfer application is open.
• College of Arts and Sciences criterion: a GPA of 2.5 or higher. The site says there is no minimum transfer credit requirement: with fewer than 24 post-high-school credits, both college and high school records are evaluated; with 24 or more, the college record is the focus and no high school transcript is required.
• Materials: the CU Boulder Transfer Application; fee of USD 65 domestic or USD 70 international; a required Academic Interest answer (up to 250 words) and an optional academic history explanation (150 to 250 words); a high school transcript (temporarily waived with 24 or more college credits); and transcripts from every college attended regardless of length.
• Credit: the site refers students to a Transferology account to see how courses transfer, and admitted students receive a transfer credit evaluation. Beyond the College of Arts and Sciences GPA of 2.5, the pages read give no separate prerequisite or GPA threshold for MCDB or EBIO; not published.

Checklist

Domestic students:

• Apply to the College of Arts and Sciences through the Common App, naming MCDB or EBIO as the intended major: early action November 15, regular decision January 15 (confirm the year); USD 65 fee
• One essay, one short answer and one recommendation; SAT/ACT not required
• Try to meet the HEAR recommendations (details in the catalog); MCDB needs chemistry, biochemistry and math, and students new to chemistry should look at CHEM 1021 and the placement exam
• After enrolling, make an appointment with Biology Advising; MCDB is BS-only for new declarants from fall 2026

International students (including those from China):

• English: TOEFL iBT 80 (before 2026) or 4.0 (after January 2026), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115 and so on; USD 70 fee; submit English proof by January 15 to be considered for first-year scholarships
• The site says no federal aid is available, only a few merit scholarships; proof of funds is needed before the I-20
• Ask International Admissions how Gaokao results are used

Transfer students:

• Fall early notification deadline March 15, final deadline June 1 (confirm the year); Arts and Sciences GPA 2.5 or higher
• Submit all college transcripts and the 250-word academic interest answer

Sources: University of Colorado Boulder, Biology Advising; MCDB advising page; EBIO advising page; MCDB undergraduate program; MCDB departmental honors; MCDB common four-year plan (PDF); EBIO common four-year plan (PDF); EBIO undergraduate highlights; College of Arts and Sciences: Natural Sciences; New BS degrees in Arts and Sciences; BS degree FAQs; First-year: plan; First-year: how to apply; International: apply; English proficiency; International transcript requirements; Transfer applicants; Transfer timeline; Transfer admission criteria; Transfer: apply; Estimated cost; Scholarships and financial aid; International financial aid. Several deadline pages print no year (some state that the 2027 application is open; check each); costs are 2026-27 estimates, and 2027 entry figures are not on the pages read. Check CU Boulder’s website for the latest.